George
by Emily Hoyt
Summary: Thank goodness for George Crabtree! WM/JO As a quick sidenote, I would like to let non-UK viewers know that Murdoch Mysteries is supposed to be returning on March 4 to CityTV. Check your local listings if you don't want to miss the season premiere!


"Detective Murdoch?" George asked as he poked his head around the door to see if William was in his office. William looked up and invited George in. "Detective, would it be alright if I spoke to you, man to man?" he asked softly.

"Absolutely. Would you like to close the door?"

"Yes, sir, thank you," he said as he closed over the door and took a seat across the desk from William. "I, um…I mean no disrespect and I don't want to pry, but I would like to know how you knew your Ms. Liza was the one," he asked in a low voice.

"I'm not offended, George. Have you found someone?" William inquired and smiled to himself when he saw the young officer's face flush with red. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. When I met Liza, we, um…we didn't always see eye to eye. Sometimes, I got carried away and it was Liza that would help me regain my footing, so to speak."

"Something like…like you and Doctor Ogden?" he pushed and William fought to suppress pink from his own cheeks.

"Yes, something like that. Only, well…"

"Only what, sir?"

"Well, that's besides the point," William rushed out. "There were other things. We had a tendency to anticipate each other's questions, could easily understand each other. We even liked to tease each other, sometimes poking to see who would blush or fumble first. Do you see what I mean?" he asked with a smile, waiting as George processed the information silently for several minutes.

"Sir, it still seems to me that what you describe resembles greatly the relationship you have with Doctor Ogden."

"No, not at all," he denied right away. "No, George, you see, it's different with the doctor and I. She's…That is to say that we…"

"Detective, might I speak…very bluntly?" he asked gently.

"I have a distinct feeling I'm not going to enjoy what you're about to say, but I promise you can be honest with me and I will not retaliate in any way. What do you want to say, George?"

"Is it possible to be as obtuse as you, sir?" he asked sharply and William sat up a little straighter in his chair. "Think long and hard and if you can find any significant difference other than the fact that you work together, than I'm terribly out of line, but I don't think I am, sir." William's eyes lowered as his expression grew thoughtful. He looked back up at the young cop, but George just smiled triumphantly. "I think you're in love, Detective Murdoch." Then, he left.

***

"William?" came the small feminine voice. His ears prickled at the sound, but his thoughts were so consuming that he could not even bring himself to straighten up in his seat. She called out again and, still, he did not answer, staring up at the ceiling and feigning being lost in his thoughts. In truth, he was partly absorbed in his own mind and, when she looked into his office, she looked terribly concerned. "William, are you alright?" she asked quickly.

"Oh…hello, Doctor Ogden," he said gently and watched as she approached, the only light left in the building being the small lamps in his office. A glance as his watch informed him that it was well past closing time. "What on earth are you doing here so late?" he asked. She sent him a confused glance.

"I was on my way home when I saw your light was on and wondered why on earth_ you_ were still here. Why _are_ you still here?" she asked as she sat on a small chair across the desk from him, making him chuckle; that was where George had sat earlier.

"I, um…I had a chat with a fellow officer earlier and he made some slightly disturbing observations. He commented on things I thought I was hiding quite well. He managed to guess that I was in love again," William confided in a small voice. Julia seemed taken aback and cleared her throat.

"I must say, I didn't see it," she told him softly and he watched with mild fascination as she fumbled for words. "In fact, I'm almost surprised. If he had told me, I don't think I'd have believed him. She can't be anyone the bureau knows, can she?" Julia said, trying to add a laugh to her voice, but failing miserably. "After all, your friend would have surely noticed if you showed any inclination to someone. He does seem very observant."

"Oh, yes…terribly observant. So much so that not only did he guess I was in love, but he named the object of my affections as well," William said quietly and watched the color drain from her face. "Are you alright, doctor?" he inquired as he came around the desk to kneel by her side. She nodded her head and plastered on a wide smile.

"I'm fine, William. Thank you. I just, um…I guess I'm more tired than I thought."

"Has my news upset you?" he asked and watched her shake her head with what was obviously a great deal of effort.

"Not at all, detective. I wish you and her every happiness," Julia said before standing up and heading to the door.

"Julia…I never said I wanted to marry her, although…that is looking like a very charming idea at the moment. Did you talk to George today? I mean, Officer Crabtree."

"Yes, I did. He had a strange smile on his face every time he saw me."

"It's because he knows something you don't," William said with a grin and she lowered her gaze as she took a step back towards his desk.

"He's the one who spoke to you about the woman you love?" she asked quietly.

"Actually, he's the one who helped me realize I was in love with…her," he said, holding himself back for a few more minutes.

"Did he?" she squeaked. She closed and opened her eyes very slowly as she took a deep breath. "You should thank him and so should the woman," she said gently, her hand on the doorknob.

"Yes, you should," William murmured and Julia froze in place. Her hand held onto the handle for dear life as she forced air in and out of her lungs. He silently stepped closer to her and she spun towards him, backing away as he approached.

"Why…why should I thank him, Detective Murdoch?" she asked, biting her lower lip. He stopped a few feet away from her and looked up at her for a moment. He did not speak or move or even blink as he stared at her. "_Detective_?" she whispered. He looked up and smiled tenderly.

"Why have you stopped calling me 'William' when I've finally started using your given name?"

"You…you plan to marry, detective. It's not proper for me to be so casual with you."

"You do not believe in casualness between a man and a woman?" he asked and she frowned as he moved closer to her. "You do not believe it proper for a man to be on a first name basis with the woman he wants for himself?"

Her legs buckled beneath her and she began to crumble to the ground, but William's arms curled around Julia's shoulders before she even got to her knees. She stared up at him in shock, sending him skeptical glances until his warm smile sent a similar tenderness through her body. Her lips parted in a wide grin and she began to bubble with glee until the laughter erupted and she flung her arms around his neck. He held her against him and stroked her hair gently as she nuzzled against his neck. His caresses soothed her and she relaxed into his arms as he rocked her to and fro.

"Julia," he whispered against her cheek. She lifted her head from his and watched his smile soften. "I love you, Julia," he hushed and, smoothing his thumbs over the apples of her face, he swallowed before inching his head closer to hers and finally pressing his lips to her mouth.

The kiss was brief and sweet, but it was loaded with emotion and they both felt the air whoosh out of their lungs after pressing their lips together for barely more than ten seconds. She sniffled a little and he leaned down to look at her tear-stained cheeks, but the wide smile on her face was all the reassurance he needed. He hugged her closer and moved to sit down on the small couch in his office with her by his side. They were calm for several seconds before he felt a new tension seep into her body.

"What's wrong?" he asked, but she tried to shrug him off. He gently took her by the shoulders and lifted her up to look into her eyes. He saw a question swimming in their depths and his gut knew exactly what was troubling her. "I made you nervous," he said simply. She was about to deny it, but he let out a short chuckle. "When I said that marrying you seemed like a charming idea, it wasn't as nerve-wracking since you thought it was someone else, but now…" She lowered her gaze from his and tried to push herself off the couch, but he kept his hands on her shoulders for another few minutes. After coaxing her eyes back up to his, he held her gaze for a little while. Then, he gave her wide, soft smile and took her chin with his thumb and index finger, guiding her towards his lips.

"William," she muttered, but he shushed her and pressed delicate kisses over her cheeks, eyes, chin and finished with a tiny kiss to the corner of her mouth.. She whimpered in her throat and tried to lean away from him, but he just pulled her back into his arms.

"I'm starting to think I'll have to tie you down to keep you by my side. Are you so desperate to leave so soon?" he asked softly and her head bobbed up and down with a left to right twist, making her answer indiscernible. "Oh, that was clear," he teased and smiled when her cheeks turned pink. "I know this isn't a typical proposal or even a formal one, but I do want you to know that marrying you would make me eternally happy. I didn't think I'd find anyone for me after Liza passed, but I've found you and, as much as I loved Liza, the thought of being married to her and not you troubles me. If she had lived, I wonder if I'd have recognized my feelings for you in time to save me from a lifetime of marriage to a person I was not necessarily _in_ love with."

"If that's a proposal, I accept," she teased, but his eyes grew serious and he slipped off the couch to his knees. She gasped.

"It is, Julia. I dare say, it is. I would love nothing more than to marry you. Perhaps not immediately, but one day, I would be honored if you would share my name. I want to marry you, Doctor Julia Ogden."

"Yes…" she gasped with a smile as she flung her arms around his neck. He held her close and pressed a little kiss to the shell of her ear, sighing with contentment. "Yes, William, I will. I want to. I want to marry you."

He smiled and stole another tiny kiss before they sat on the couch, content to exchange words and silence as the feeling of love and joy settled over them along with an understanding of it. Slowly, as they sat in the quiet, serenity cocooned them and they laughed as they both whispered out one little word.

"George…"


End file.
